The usual routine during sumr vacation was to go to the beach and take a hot spring trip.
"Never thought I'd actually get to experience sothing this wonderful… As soone like a certain gentleman once said, peace really does co first~"
Recalling those days in the past when she had lived rough and slept wherever she could, Yutsuki let out a happy sigh.
"Hey, hey! Yutsuki, what are you standing there sighing about? It's already your turn."
"Analogy. Old lady with age showing."
"Hey, Yutsuki, stop spacing out during the ga!"
"Yo-yo~ Yutsuki-chan, if you let your guard down, this match's victory could be snatched away by Yoshino."
"Y-Yoshinon!"
"Alright, alright, sorry!" Yutsuki gave everyone an apologetic smile, then seriously reached out toward the cards in the trembling Yoshino's hand.
At this mont, they were not in the Itsuka household. Shido and the others, including Yutsuki, were sitting on a brand-new magnetic levitation train, racing toward Ratatoskr's seaside inn-at an ultra-high speed of 530 kiloters per hour.
Originally, Kotori's plan was to have Shido and the others pack their luggage, then directly recover them through Fraxinus's spatial transport device and send them straight to the seaside inn. However, this plan was opposed by Yutsuki.
"The process of reaching the destination is also one of the great pleasures of travel."
That reason unexpectedly received support from Tohka, Yoshino, and the Yamai sisters, Yuzuru and Kaguya. So after thinking it over for a mont, Kotori decided to arrange a direct train to the inn instead.
As expected of Ratatoskr, an organization on par with DEM—they chartered an entire railway line without even blinking.
Thinking back to how, in her previous life, taking a train usually ant only being able to buy a hard sleeper ticket, and sotis even having to endure several days with a standing ticket, Yutsuki was instantly stunned by the wealthy aura of this high-end, luxurious, premium magnetic train. She almost could not stop herself from launching a joint lock complaint at Shido on the spot.
"Alright~ Spade K, pair. I win."
Yutsuki gave a soft laugh, tossed the last two cards in her hand onto the table, and leisurely withdrew from the battlefield first.
"Damn it! Yutsuki wins again!"
"Kuh… To think you even used the Akashic Records to counter my future sight mystic eye… You've got so skill, my comrade."
"Correction. That's just because Yuzuru is too weak."
"What! Just you wait. This ti, the last place definitely won't be . Tohka, take this!"
"Ohh! Bring it on, Yuzuru!"
Saying that, Yuzuru stared solemnly at Tohka's playing cards, as if she intended to see straight through them.
At this point, everyone should understand what Yutsuki and the others were doing.
Old Maid!
As the most suitable group activity for passing ti, everyone except Kotori and Reine, who declined because they still had things to do, and Itsuka Shido, who had suddenly been inford about the trip and was busy packing luggage for several hours and had collapsed from exhaustion and wanted to rest for a while, approved it.
Then, to make the ga more interesting, a small punishnt was added.
The winner had the right to paste a slip of paper with words written on it onto the face of the last place loser, and it could not be removed until they arrived at their destination.
By the way, the current standings were:
First place, Ryougi Yutsuki, nine consecutive wins, not a single slip of paper on her face.
Second place, tied between Yoshino and Yamai Yuzuru, each with a "Cute Loli" and "Expressionless Girl" note stuck to their foreheads.
Third place, Yatogami Tohka, with three notes on her cheeks and forehead: "Natural Airhead," "Big Eater," and "Cute Clumsy Girl."
And the most tragic victim of all…Yamai Kaguya, with four slips: "Future Sight (LOL)," "Gale Witch (LOL)," "Evil King's True Eye (LOL)," and "Hidden M."
"Oh~ I drew it!"
"Nooooooo!"
Just as Yutsuki was lounging about, snacking and watching the scenery outside the window, Tohka's cheer and Kaguya's unwilling cry rang out at the sa ti.
"Hoh~ This ti the last place is Kaguya."
With a malicious little smile, Yutsuki tore off a slip of paper, wrote a few words on it, and ignored Kaguya's attempt to dodge, accurately sticking the note under her chin like a moustache.
The content was: Chuunibyou in the late stages.
"Pfft! Hahahaha—"
"No laughing!"
Kaguya glared indignantly at the others who were laughing, but with five slips stuck on her face now, her expression only made her look even funnier.
"Kuh… Tohka. As a mber of my clan, you should have already accepted my dark baptism. Yet you still do not understand how to respect your sovereign's dignity, and now I've been made to suffer such humiliation."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"You're just too weak, that's all," Yutsuki said with a completely deadpan expression.
In Old Maid, one very important key to victory was to keep a poker face so your opponent could not read your expression and guess your hand. On that point, Yuzuru, who always maintained a lazy-looking expression, and Yoshino, who was timid but actually quite clever, both did pretty well. But for Kaguya, who always expressed her emotions strongly, and Tohka, who was naturally straightforward, it was a very difficult task.
Although Tohka was weak when drawing cards, she was unexpectedly strong when drawing from others. Maybe it was because a naturally airheaded person's intuition was born unusually accurate.
As for herself… Yutsuki could proudly say, while pretending to adjust nonexistent glasses, that others maintained an unreadable expression, whereas she could completely toy with her opponents through her own expressions until they were dizzy and confused.
Putting it all together, Kaguya was honorably placed in last place.
"I don't feel honored at all!"
"Honestly…" Yutsuki shrugged helplessly and said to Murasa Reine, "Reine-san, can you take over for ? I want to rest a bit."
"Mm." Reine nodded slowly in agreent.
"Hey! Winning and then trying to run away? I won't allow it," Kaguya said.
"Agreed. We must leave a mark on Yutsuki's face."
Facing the battle-hungry Yamai sisters, Yutsuki let out a soft sigh, tore off one slip, wrote a few words, and stuck it on her own forehead.
The content was: Winner.
"That should do it~"
Under everyone's stunned gaze, Yutsuki leisurely withdrew from the battlefield in the posture of a victor.
"You really do seem to be enjoying yourself…"
"Yo! You're awake, Shido."
Moving to the row of seats beside them, Yutsuki greeted the waking Shido.
"More or less…" Shido gave a bitter smile and looked much more energetic now. "The travel notice ca too suddenly. I was so busy packing that I nearly died from exhaustion."
"?" Yutsuki tilted her head in confusion and said strangely, "But I heard about it from Kotori-chan yesterday."
"Huh? But Tohka and I only found out a few hours ago."
"That's because if we told you in advance, there was a high chance the information would leak to so troubleso person. Since we finally managed to organize a trip with only Spirits, if that only ended up piling on more stress, then it would have been completely pointless."
Across from them, Kotori said this while licking a Chupa Chups lollipop.
Yutsuki understood Kotori's reasoning. Although her own power and Tohka's had been sealed through Shido, they were no longer especially dangerous. But if they experienced too much psychological pressure or beca ntally unstable, the sealed spiritual power would flow back in reverse, and sothing terrible could happen.
Traveling not only helped them relax, it also created many interesting mories. From an objective standpoint, it was indeed a very thoughtful arrangent for the Spirits.
"Then thank you, Kotori."
"Then thanks a lot, Kotori-chan~"
"N-no problem!" Faced with both of their thanks, Kotori's cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned away awkwardly.
"Speaking of which, who is the troubleso person you ntioned?" Shido asked in confusion.
"Tobiichi Origami!"
"Ugh~"
Seeing Shido's stiffened expression, Yutsuki imdiately rembered who Kotori had ant.
Tobiichi Origami, a combat mber of AST in Tengu City, rank first class, and practically the strongest magician in the AST unit stationed in Tengu City. However, because she was currently under suspension, Yutsuki had not fought her during her battles with AST. She was also a classmate of Shido's at Raizen High School.
At the thought of their first eting, when the other party had tried to drug and eliminate her, and had also casually pushed over Shido without even acknowledging her presence, Yutsuki's mouth twitched slightly.
That girl definitely had her sights set on Itsuka Shido's chastity.
"True… but knowing her personality, I can't help feeling like she'd secretly follow us without us even noticing."
"Mm… considering that Amazon warrior's level of action, that is entirely possible."
Yutsuki nodded in complete agreent with Shido's guess.
"There is no way I will let that happen!" Kotori said with a serious expression. "I absolutely will not let her know our destination, and the inn's security asures are perfect. Apart from us, not even a fly can get in!"
"..."
Perhaps because she had already beco very skilled at using her abilities, although Yutsuki's spiritual power was sealed, if she wanted to, she could still detect electromagnetic signals.
(The matter of Shido being fitted with a transmitter, I'd better not tell Kotori…)
Not wanting to put more pressure on Kotori, Yutsuki chose to smile and remain silent.
(…Besides, it feels like this would be more interesting~)
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